Most moms don’t look anything like Natalia Vodianova when they’re breastfeeding. Not a shred. But to bash the Russian supermodel’s Instagram shot of herself nursing her one-month-old son in the nude — going so far as to say it sexualizes breastfeeding — is just immature. And disturbing. And it’s exactly the kind of mom-vs-mom criticism I’m really tired of.

When Vodianova released the shot of newborn son Maxim latched on in a cuddly flesh-to-flesh pose just over a week ago as her billionaire husband Antoine Arnault’s birthday gift (you know, something money can’t buy), many praised it for its beauty. Just as many, it seems, criticized the stunning black and white photo for being seductive and unrealistic. I’m going to take an educated guess that a number of those critics are moms. Because, you know (she says with great sarcasm), us moms don’t face enough challenges, we constantly feel the need to trash each other as well.

The “seductive”, “sexual”, “provocative” comments are what get me the most. You can’t say an image sexualizes breastfeeding because breastfeeding can’t be sexualized. Is Vodianova herself sexy? Sure. She’s the face of Calvin Klein, for crying out loud. But I doubt she intended the photo to be anything but an artistic, stunning shot of her feeding her son — and I personally fail to see it as anything but.

As for the nudity — well, I’m sure plenty of moms out there breastfeed in the buff. In fact, skin-to-skin contact is highly encouraged in the early weeks of a child’s life to help establish a good milk supply and to promote bonding. After a rough labour, my older son Liam was a sleepy breastfeeder, and he and I spent a lot of his early weeks naked from the waist up as we struggled to boost his weight and my milk supply. Once both increased, we put clothes on — but that was a special bonding period we’ll never get back (I’m lucky if I get a hug these days).

There is some validity to the comments on how unrealistic this photo is. For one, Vodianova makes breastfeeding look effortless — as models have a tendency to do — when in reality it’s anything but. It can go smoothly for some, yes. But I’d bet a case of nipple cream no mom would dare tell you breastfeeding is easy. And if she does, she’s lying.

Also, most of us don’t have the bod or the budget to shoot such a spectacular photograph. There isn’t a stretch mark or a spit-up stain in sight. The image of an impossibly gorgeous mom takes us back to that shot of Giselle Bundchen breastfeeding while being styled for a photoshoot that sparked so much criticism a couple years back. Cue collective sigh.

It’s not just supermodels taking flack for their breastfeeding portraits. Toronto photographer Heather Bays’ Instagram account was shut down the day before Mother’s Day, when she posted a picture of herself nursing her daughter. Apparently social networking sites like Instagram and Facebook do allow breastfeeding photos, as “the vast majority of these photos are compliant with our policies,” according to their guidelines (both sites aren’t particular fans of shots where nipples are visible, however). Instagram claimed Bays’ account was nixed because of some shirtless shots of her daughter that she had posted.

But unfortunately, what also doesn’t seem to be going away is the negative attitude moms can have towards other moms. The Internet is riddled with working moms bashing stay-at-home moms, breastmilk moms bashing formula moms, attachment moms bashing stroller moms, lululemon moms bashing pyjama-pant moms — you get the picture. Judgmental moms are just as easily found in the flesh — at the grocery store, at the park, at baby yoga. You might even be friends with them.

The fact of the matter is, we are all moms. And yes, that also includes incredibly hot supermodel moms who can afford to pay a professional photographer to take a nude photo of them breastfeeding their fourth baby. That doesn’t mean we need to take cheap shots, dismissing such a picture as “sexual”. Save for all the styling and possible airbrushing, Vodianova is just a mom breastfeeding her newborn child. And I can’t think of anything more pure than that.